Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 72156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“Yeah, sure. I’ll try not to wake you when I go to bed.”
I nod and turn.
“Sav?”
I look over my shoulder.
“You okay?”
No.
I’m far from okay.
I just screwed my parolee in a vacant hospital room.
The best sex I’ve ever had, and it was with an ex-con who is also my parolee.
And he left.
He just left.
Granted, he’s worried about his sister.
God…how is Raven?
Why didn’t I ask?
“I’m fine.”
I leave quickly and head back to the sixth floor. I need to make sure Falcon’s sister is okay.
But he’s gone when I return, and several nurses and a doctor are in Raven’s room. Her heart monitor is beeping, so she’s alive.
Thank God.
I let out a breath.
I walk swiftly back to the elevator. The doors slide open, and—
Falcon. He’s there, looking so tall and muscular and gorgeous…and haunted. All at once, and my God, it works for him.
“Hey,” he says.
“Your sister. I came back to see if she’s okay.”
“For now.” He holds the elevator door open for me. “Leaving?”
I nod. “It’s getting late, and I have work in the morning.”
“More parolees?”
“That’s my job.”
He doesn’t reply. Just walks past me toward his sister’s room.
“Falcon?”
He looks over his shoulder.
I want to tell him I wish him well. That I wish his sister well. That what happened between us meant something to me. That to me, it wasn’t just a quickie in a vacant hospital room.
Except that’s exactly what it was, and I’d do well to remember that.
Falcon Bellamy may be an ex-con, but he’s still way out of my league.
“Never mind,” I say.
He nods, turns, and walks back to Raven’s room.
I arrive at work ten minutes late the next day. I hardly slept a wink, and each time I finally nodded off, Gert kicked me in her sleep.
She and I were roommates for four years in college, but we never shared a bed. Now I know why. I love her, but if she and Jordy stay another night, I’m giving them the bed and I’ll take the couch.
They were off to see Ashley again this morning. Both have been at their jobs for years, so taking some personal time off is no biggie.
Me? I’ve been at my job for one day and three minutes. Negative seven minutes, if you count the fact that I was late today.
Bridget smiles when I arrive at the door to her office.
“I just want to apologize for being late,” I say. “A friend of mine was in an accident, and I was at the hospital last night.”
She clasps her hand to her mouth “I’m so sorry to hear that. Is she okay?”
“It’s touch and go, but the prognosis is good. Anyway, it won’t happen again.”
Bridget smiles. “We don’t punch a time clock around here, Savannah. You get your work done, and you won’t hear from me.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
“Oh, and Savannah?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a seminar this afternoon that’s required. About professionalism regarding interaction with parolees.”
My cheeks warm. “Oh?”
“Yeah. We had some issues last month with one of our officers. Attendance is required. You can play a game on your phone for all I care. I just have to say that all of my officers attended.”
“Sure. Thanks, Bridget.”
My cheeks are hot as flames.
If anyone needs that training, it’s me.
Except I don’t. I know what I did with Falcon Bellamy was wrong.
And the thing is?
I’d do it again.
And again and again and again.
14
FALCON
The docs couldn’t determine the cause of Raven’s issue last night, and they’ve chalked it up to a bout of sleep apnea.
Mom claims Raven has never had sleep apnea, but then again, how would Mom know? Raven’s almost thirty years old.
At any rate, the bone marrow transplant is going on as scheduled today.
I’m tired and achy. Tired because I spent the night in Raven’s room trying to sleep on her pullout, but the docs and nurses came in every hour to check on her. I wouldn’t have it any other way, though.
Mom, Dad, and the others are on their way, and I’m happy to have some alone time with Raven before they get here. I sit next to her, letting her sleep.
“Just sleep, Ray,” I say softly.
Her eyes flutter open. “Fal?”
“I’m right here, sis.”
“Hey.”
“You gave us quite a scare last night.”
“So I hear.”
“Have you ever had sleep apnea?”
Raven blinks a few times. “Not that I know of, but I sleep alone most nights. At least for the past five years.”
“Right. What about when you were living with Ted? Did he say anything about you stopping breathing in the middle of the night?”
She scoffs softly at her ex’s name. “Ted wouldn’t notice anything that didn’t have to do with him.”
“You were happy then, weren’t you?” I squeeze her hand. “I’d hate to have to find him and fuck him up.”
“You don’t do anything of the sort. I need you here, Fal. It was horrible having you locked up.”
“You can say that again.”